In online collaborative sessions, an online host or presenter is generally responsible for the content and pacing of the session. For example, the presenter of an online presentation will determine the speed at which the slides are displayed, as well as when and how the session participants are allowed to ask questions. Furthermore, given that online presentations may be multicast to hundreds or even thousands of participants, it may not be feasible to allow participants to ask questions during the presentation.
Abbreviations, acronyms and terms of art are useful tools during an online collaborative session as they allow a presenter to save time while speaking, and save space in visually presented materials. It is common for a presenter to use abbreviations which may not be immediately understood by all collaborative session participants. Furthermore, if the presenter has to explain every abbreviation, acronym or term of art used in the presentation, the space saving benefits may be lost. Given the size and scope of many online collaborative sessions, it is not feasible to allow participants to ask the presenter to define abbreviations, acronyms and terms of art that are not readily understood by one or more participants.